Fireworks
by Rikotsu-sama
Summary: Sasuke rejects Sakura, can she deal with that pain AGAIN? Who will comfort her? What will happen when Kakashi and Hinata get involved? Little NaruSaku and lil' SasuHina, but will be mostly SasuSaku and NaruHina. Dedicated to: SailorPrincess3234
1. Stone Sunset

A/N: This is my first shot at a fic that isn't just a one-shot, and it's my first Naruto fic, so please be nice! No flames!

Dedicated to: SailorPrincess3234 because she wanted me to write a Naruto fiction.

Disclaimer

Ri: Naruto-kun?

Naruto: Huh?

Ri: Naruto-kun/glomps Naruto/

Naruto: Ah! Rabid fangirl!

Sakura: Hey! Get off of him/tries to drag Ri off Naruto/

Ri: No! He's mine/holds onto Naruto's shirt for dear life/

Naruto: AH!

Sakura: Get! OFF!

Ri: NO! HE'S MINE I TELL YOU, MINE/cackles/

Sakura: No! He's mi-- /goes silent/

Naruto: ...?

Ri: He's.../giggles/

Naruto: huh?

Ri/singing/ Sakura and Naruto sittin' in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G!

Sakura: You're dead/tries to hit Ri with a kunai/

Ri: Ah/runs away/

Naruto/blink/blink/

Sakura: Get back here, wench!

Sasuke: Anyway, Ri-sama does not own Naruto.

Naruto: She doesn't own me?

Sasuke: No, dobe. Or any of it's characters. They belong to Masashi Kishimoto-sama.

Fireworks

o0 Chapter 1 - Stone Sunset 0o

"Sasuke-kun!" chimes an exuberant Sakura, bouncing up to the hospital bed where the raven-haired man lay.

"Urg..." groaned a hospitalized Sasuke. "What do you want this time, Sakura?"

"Just wanted to give you some get well flowers!" She answered her voice almost a yell as she stretched out her hand that was holding a bouquet of yellow, pink, and white tulips towards Sasuke.

He just stared at her for a brief moment before knocking the flowers out of her hands. "I don't need flowers."

His onyx orbs hard as rock stared into her water-filled, leaf-colored eyes.

"But, Sasuke-kun...!" she insisted.

"I don't date annoying people." he glared at her with ice filled eyes, and a frozen heart to match.

Tears welled up in Sakura's eyes before she disappeared leaving only a small amount of smoke behind her.

o0O0o

Washing away in the gray-blue tide was a to-be love, glistening silver glass. Weeping like a flowing waterfall, Haruno Sakura sat at the edge of the river, above her was the bridge where her Sasuke-kun, Naruto, Kakashi-sensei and herself used to meet when they were still a genin team. The fallen tulip petals still drifted off her clothing light as feathers.

IT was nearing dusk and beautiful shades of purple, blue, yellow, and red painted the sunset sky above. A rustle in the large, non-blossoming cherry blossom trees behind her made Sakura jump up, kunai in hand, with an emotion of pure surprise written all over her face.

"Sakura-chan?" a certain, familiar blonde jounin's voice questioned from one of the lowest branches of a nearby tree.

Sakura turned to the soft, comforting sight of her former genin teammate. "Naruto?" Sakura whimpered.

As Naruto jumped from his tree perch to a few feet from his rosy-haired friend, Sakura jumped him, wrapping her thin arms around his now muscular figure. She began sobbing ferociously into his chest. "Sakura-chan, what happened?"

"I-I don't want to t-talk a-about it..." Sakura mumbled, "Just, hold me."

"S-Sakura-chan... O-okay..." Naruto whispered more to himself than her, but rested his arms around Sakura's thin waist. It had been seven years since they were genins, so Sakura had gained soft creamy skin, and a perfectly curved female figure.

o0O0o

About an hour later it was dark, Naruto and Sakura were walking down a softly moonlit Konoha road, holding hands. "Sakura-chan?"

"Yes, Naruto-kun?" Sakura cooed, turning her emerald orbs up to meet his electric baby blues.

"What _was_ this about, anyway?" he mumbled, searching her eyes for what was wrong.

Sakura averted her gaze to the ground. "Sasuke-kun rejected me again..."

"But, Sakura-chan, that's never stopped you before," the blonde insisted.

"Yeah, I guess I _should_ be used to it by now, but..." she sighed.

"But what?" he said quizzically.

"I guess, him being gone for six and a half years has really changed him. I mean... like, his eyes used to have a soft center, now it's harder than cold steel..." her voice trailed off into the onyx darkness.

"So, what makes him rejecting you now any different than back then?" he asked, stopping.

"I don't know, Naruto-kun," Sakura whispered, "I guess my heart hardened over those years without him, but his words cut harder than his chidori."

"Sakura-chan..." Naruto cried, slipping his arm around her as they began to walk towards his house once again.

o0O0o

Sakura looked up into his sea-colored orbs and smiled when they entered his house. "Well, what's done is done right? We're together now, that's all that matters, right Naruto-kun?"

"Wait... We're together? Since when?" Naruto asked, confused. _Plus, since when does Sakura-chan call me "kun" anyway?_, he thought to himself.

"Well, you didn't refuse me back at the river..." she muttered in response.

"Oh..." he replied, "Okay. But, are you giving up on Sasuke?"

"Yeah."

"Forever?"

"Yes, forever. Now, stop asking questions and kiss me already," she ordered, pulling him close to her.

Naruto gasped, astonished at her actions. This is the Sakura he's known since the academy, since when did she like him? And in _that_ way?

She lifted herself up onto the balls of her feet to reach his lips. Sakura had never noticed how much he had grown in the six years she was without Sasuke. He had grown from his four-foot-ten boyish height to a surprising six-foot-one. His arms and legs were no longer flimsy and thin, they bulged slightly with muscle. His body had grown strong, his features handsome. Why had she never seen him for how he was before now?

Their lips connected. At first Naruto found himself falling headlong into her spearmint eyes, not knowing what he should do. He froze, her arms around his neck, his hands on her curving hips.

For an entire minute neither breathed, just kissed.

Naruto broke for breath. "Sakura-chan, since when do you kiss guys?"

"I don't. That was my first..." she muttered to herself.

"What?" he asked.

"Nothing..." her already bearly audible voice trailed off.

"Wanna sit down? I've been on a S-ranked mission for a week and I'm exhausted."

"Okay!" Sakura agreed, smiling happily.

They walk a few feet to the nearby couch and sit down. A few minutes of silence passed between the pair before Sakura spoke, "Naruto-kun?"

"Yeah, Sakura-chan?" Naruto answered.

"Do you wanna do something _fun_ tonight?"

"Uh... What do you mean?"

"You'll see!" Sakura exclaimed, grinning.

"Uh..." Naruto looked strangely at the mednin, not knowing what to expect.

o0 Chapter Fin 0o

A/N: Hehe! This was quite fun to write. I've been working on it for a while in small amounts, I would have done more sooner, but it's the end of school and I gotta study for finals, ect. So, I hope you like it! Don't worry, this will be SasuSaku by the end, not mainly NaruSaku.

-Riri

P.S. Please R&R, no flames please! Constructive criticism is welcomed, but be nice. This is my first Naruto fic after all!


	2. Mission Malice

A/N: Heh. Gonna try to update the second chapter in one day! This should be fun.

Dedicated to: SailorPrincess3234

Disclaimer:

Ri: -runs around in circles- WEEEEEHEHE!

Sasuke: Okay, who gave Ri-sama caffeine again?

Naruto: -whistles-

Sakura: Naruto-kun!

Ri: EEEEHEHE!

Sasuke: Dobe...

Sakura: You know not to give Ri-sama Mountain Dew! She always gets like this!

Naruto: But...

Sakura: No buts!

Ri: Butts. -laughs-

Sasuke: Damn it this is bad, even for Ri-sama.

Hinata: Naruto-kun, why'd you do this?

Naruto: Hinata-chan... -sweatdrops- I dunno, I thought it'd be funny I guess.

Sakura: Well you guessed wrong!

Ri: Hehe... okay. I think I'm okay now.

Everyone: YOUR NOT OKAY!

Shikamaru: Anyway, Ri-sama does not own Naruto or...

Naruto: She doesn't own me?

Ri: That's getting old, Naruto.

Sakura: Really old.

Sasuke: And since when are you in this fic, Shikamaru?

Ri: Yeah...

Shikamaru: I'm not.

Everyone: Then why are you in the disclaimer?

Shika: 'Cause you guys were blabbering and not getting it done.

Everyone: True...

Shika: Anyways, Ri-sama does not own Naruto or any or it's characters. They belong to Masashi Kishimoto-sama.

Ri: Right. If you say so, Shika-kun. -giggles-

Fireworks

**o0 Chapter 2 - Mission Malice 0o**

Hinata was strolling down a busy Konoha street, a spring in her step and two tickets for free meals of ramen at Ichiraku Ramen in hand.

As she reached Naruto's front door she breathed out thinking, _Okay, this is my last chance! I'm twenty years old. I **need** to ask Naruto-kun out._

Hinata decided it would be more of a surprise if she just went in. She opened the door and stepped inside.

"Naruto-kun?" she whispered. No reply. Maybe Naruto was still asleep? He was known for how long he could sleep, especially after long missions.

She snuck into Naruto's room to see a lump in his bed as usual. So he was still asleep, she thought to herself.

Upon hearing the door open Naruto squirmed and sat up. "Hinata-chan?" he mumbled, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

"Naruto-kun!" Hinata emphasized, "I've got two tickets for free ramen at Ichiraku's! Want to-"

"Naruto-kun...?" Sakura murmured, sitting up next to Naruto with nothing but a thin bedsheet wrapped around her nude body.

"Eeeh..." Hinata gasped upon seeing Sakura, "EEEH!" After screaming she hurried from the room, blushing burnt-red.

"Hinata-chan!" Naruto screamed after his shy friend, beginning to get out of bed.

Sakura grabbed his now muscular arm and began stroking it lightly. "Naruto-kun..." she requested seductively, "Please, stay here with me..." Her eyes shown with naughty intention.

**o0O0o**

_What could I have been thinking? Trying to ask Naruto-kun out? But then again, who ever said him and Sakura were..._ Hinata shivers shiver.

Walking about she wandered in and out of cafés, various shops, and a few bakeries. Nothing could get the image of Sakura and Naruto-kun out of her mind, it stuck there like a dart on a dart board, not wanting to come out.

Dragging her feet, Hinata ambled about until she entered one of her favorite cafés, Café Solé¹. I ordered a latte and sat down at a table by myself.

Sipping her burning-hot latte Hinata didn't even notice her tongue being burnt. Hinata rested her head on the two-person table and closed her eyes. She could hear her heart beat. Thump. Thump. Thump.

Suddenly, an idea struck her. Hinata stood and began to rush out of the café, when she god outside she ran head long into a man over a head taller than herself. Come to think of it, about Naruto's height.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, sir!" she apologized, "Are you okay? That was all my fault."

Her latte had spilled all over her mossy-green shirt, making a rather large brown spot on it. "Damn it..." she cursed under her breath.

"Oh, it's quite alright, Hinata-chan," a voice Hinata recognized, but had probably not heard in over a year said.

"Hey, how do you know my name?" she wondered aloud, looking up at the man. "K-Kakashi-sensei!" she stuttered, her eyes wide looking up at the familiar face. Wait. Face! AH! NO MASK!

**o0O0o**

Naruto was dressed up in white and black, his ANBU uniform. Tsunade had sent for him. "Naruto-kun... Why do you have to leave when you just got back?" Sakura whimpered, dressed now in a light tank-top and shorts.

"This is my job Sakura. You're in ANBU too, but since you're Tsunade's apprentice you don't have to do missions when you don't want to," Naruto growled in response, his eyes flaring with despise.

"Why are you mad at me!" she demanded.

"You just **had** to make me have sex with you, didn't you!" he retorted, "I thought I liked you, but I guess you just wanted me for some leg after getting turned down by your precious Sasuke again. The one girl that has actually always been there for me, cared for me, liked me now is terrified of me. All because of you!"

"Naruto-kun! How could you say that! You've got me! The girl you've always dreamed of, isn't that enough?"

"No. I don't want you. You're my friend, Sakura-chan. Just my friend," he says, calming down a bit. "Nothing more. Now, stay as long as you want here, but I have a job to do. I may be back within a week, but no guarantee."

Sakura just stood at the foot of her "friend"'s bed, glaring at him as he left the room. And, if looks could kill, Naruto would be writhing in pain on the floor at this moment.

Naruto hurried to Tsunade's, where he got his mission. But, as a ritual, he always has ramen after getting his mission before he leaves. So, after getting his assignment he went to Ichiraku's.

He ate in silence, thinking over the events of yesterday and that morning.

_Damn it. What the eff was I thinking letting Sakura-chan push herself on me!_ Naruto cursed, not paying attention to what he was eating.

**o0O0o**

"But, Tsunade-sama!" Sakura pleaded.

"Sakura, I have no choice. It's true that I have favored you in the past, so now that your apprenticeship is completed it's time for you to start pulling your own weight as one of Konoha's jounin. I'm assigning you to Naruto's mission, he's probably at Ichiraku's right now. Get him to brief you on it," commanded the fifth Hokage, "Now go, Sakura."

"Yes, Tsunade-sama," Sakura obeys, leaving quickly.

**o0O0o**

Naruto paid for the ramen and stepped out into the dusty road to find a ANBU member with cherry blossom pink hair and a fox mask standing in front of him.

"What're you doing here, Sakura?" Naruto demanded.

"Tsunade-sama assigned me to your mission, it was not my choice to have to go with you." Sakura answered cooly.

Without another word they left on their mission.

**o0O0o**

"So, what you're saying is you want me to help you get him?"

"Yes. By any means necessary."

"Heh. Now that's something I can do."

**o0 Fin 0o**

A/N: Heh... Heh... Heh... That was fun. But, it took me a while. Damn writer's block!

-Riri

P.S. Please Review!


	3. Tribulation

A/N: Yay! Third chapter... I have plans for this... -evil laughter-

Dedicated to: SailorPrincess3234

Disclaimer:

Sasuke: I love tomatoes.

Naruto: I hate tomatoes.

Sasuke: How could anyone hate tomatoes?

Ri: Like this: -steps on tomato-

Sasuke: You'll pay for that, Ri-sama.

Ri: Don't think so. I have control of this fiction, you don't want me to do something... nasty... do you?

Naruto: I'm scared of Ri-sama when she's like this... -sweatdrops-

Sasuke: Yeah, me too...

Sakura: Me three...

Shika: Me four...

Sasuke: Shikamaru, stop appearing in these disclaimers, YOUR NOT IN THE FICTION!

Shika: I know I'm not, but it's fun here.

Ri: I could make it more fun... -evil laughter-

Naruto: Have you noticed that Ri-sama has mood swings?

Sakura: Yes. We have.

Sasuke: A lot of mood swings.

Sakura: A lot of drastic mood swings.

Shika: Anyway, Ri-sama doesn't own Naruto.

Naruto: She doesn't--

Everyone: SHUT UP NARUTO!

Naruto: -whimpers-

Shika: Or any of it's characters. They are copyright Masashi Kishimoto-sama.

Ri: -giggles uncontrollably-

**Fireworks**

**o0 Chapter 3 - Tribulation 0o**

"Sasuke, pretend to be my boyfriend and I'll give you all the tomatoes you can eat for the next month!"

"All the tomatoes I can eat for a month? Do you have any idea how many tomatoes that is?"

"Doesn't matter. I've got the money, but what I need is you to be my pretend boyfriend to make a certain someone jealous."

"So, you're saying all I have to do is hold your hand and walk around with you for a while and I get all the tomatoes I want?"

"Not quite. You would have to do whatever I tell you to, relationship wise, when I tell you and not complain."

"Easy enough. You've got a deal." Sasuke answered.

"Good. Meet me by the lake Saturday at three."

"Fine. But since when do you have such an evil side, Hinata?"

"Oh, it's always been there. I just didn't show it," Hinata laughed, grinning.

"Well, anyway, see you at the lake at three, Sasuke-kun!" Hinata had returned to normal, smiling her usual shy smile.

"You scare me sometimes."

**o0O0o**

"Naruto-kun!" Tears flowed down her face, her hands glowing green over the Kuuyubi's chest. "Please, Naruto-kun!"

"He's not breathing, leave him, Sakura."

"No! I won't!" Her once happy expression had faded and been replaced by worry, distrust, anger.

"He's--"

"NO! I WON'T ACCEPT THAT! HE'S ALIVE! He has to be..." Sakura sobbed.

The man began pulling on Sakura's ANBU vest from the back, pulling her away from the blonde haired man's body. "He's dead, Sakura. There's nothing you can do."

"I don't care! I'm not leaving him!" she exclaimed, breaking away from her teammate to clamber back to her friend's body.

"Fine, you die with him."

"No, please, Sasuke-kun! Don't leave me here! Help me bring him back to Konoha!" Sakura shouts to the raven-haired man. She begins to carry him herself, moving at a slow pace.

You could hear other ninja coming.

"Hurry up, you're so annoying!" Sasuke shouts, picking up Naruto from the cerry-blossom-pink headed girl and speeding away.

**o0O0o**

Beep. Beep. Beep.

_Oh, Naruto-kun... Please be alright,_ Sakura thought. Her hand was holding his, lines of dirt lined where tears had fallen down her face.

"Miss," a nurse began.

"It's Sakura, and I'm a med. jounin. I know that it's after visiting hours, but I'm not leaving. I'll only leave when Tsunade-sama has seen him," Sakura stated, not taking her eyes away from Naruto's face.

"Very well. I will get Tsunade-sama right now, then." The nurse disappeared.

"Don't die on me, Naruto," Sakura whispered kissing his forehead.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

**o0O0o**

"He should be fine, Sakura. Now, you need to go home and get some rest yourself. You've worked yourself too hard," Tsunade instructed, "But now you know how it really is out there in the world of ninja. What all the other ANBU members have to go through with almost everyday."

"Yes, Tsunade-sama. But, are you sure he'll be alright?" Sakura asked.

"Sakura," Tsunade sighed, "He's going to be okay. Now, get some rest!"

"Okay, Tsunade-sama," Sakura said, leaving Naruto's hospital room and walking down the white and gray-tiled hallway.

_Because Tsunade-sama says he's going to be okay I can finally rest..._, Sakura thought before collapsing in a heap on the floor, unconscious from exhaustion.

**o0O0o**

"Sasuke-sensei! You're late again!" screeched a little genin girl.

"Yeah, sensei! Why're you always late!" demanded another little girl.

"'Cause, unlike you guys, I've actually got a job other than to train. I was on a mission. One of my best friends almost died yesterday so just suck up me being late again." Sasuke ranted, glaring at the small children who's genin team captain he was.

"Smooth, Higurashi. You got Sasuke-sensei pissed off again," a young boy complained.

"Hey! Mika did it too, Rikyu!" Higurashi whined, pointing at the small blonde girl beside her.

"Hey! You started it though, Higurashi!" Mika shouted at her friend.

"You're both idiots," Rikyu said harshly, turning his back to the fighting girls.

"Why does the blame always get dumped on me!" Higurashi demanded to Mika.

"'Cause, you always start i--" Mika began to yell.

"SHUT UP YOU TWO!" Sasuke shouted, bonking both the young girls on the head. "It's not who started it or who gets blamed for it, it's who's mature enough to stop it!"

"Sorry, sensei..." Mika whimpered, looking away.

"At least I knew not to get involved..." Rikyu commented.

"Shut up, Rikyu," Sasuke ordered.

Higurashi looked up at Sasuke with starry eyes and said, "Wow, Sasuke-sensei! You're so cool!"

"Shut up, Higurashi." Mika ordered, trying to mimic Sasuke, but failing horribly.

"HEY--!" Higurashi began to shout, but she was interrupted by a huge crash of thunder.

Lightning illuminated the sky and rain began to fall down on them.

"Damn... Rain... Training is canceled for today. Just go home or whatever you kids wanna do," Sasuke suggested.

"Yay!" the kids screamed before running off, splashing in puddles and laughing. Sasuke stayed where he was and stared off into the trees, not caring about the water that was sweeping through his clothes and clinging to his body, cold as ice.

"Damn, we went through deep shit to get you back and then you almost get me killed, I'm not sure it was worth bringing you back to make Sakura-chan happy, you bastard." a voice stated from behind a tree next to Sasuke.

"Well, who says I ever wanted to come back in the first place, Naruto?" Sasuke replied cooly.

"No one. But I only brought you back to make Sakura-chan happy, and then you hurt her again. Worse than ever before last week. She came to me for comfort, y'know. You need to apologize to her for what you did." Naruto commanded.

"Why? What I said was the truth."

"Because she really likes, or liked you. She deserves an apology."

"..."

"Fine. Whatever. Do what you want, Sasuke, but you should know she's never going to look at you in the same way again. You're going to have to live with that guilt for the rest of your life if you don't do anything about it," Naruto explained before disappearing in a small puff of smoke.

**o0 Chapter Fin 0o**

A/N: Please review, maybe some ideas for future chapters?

-Riri

P.S. **GOOGLE DE GUMP! **-laughs-


	4. The Miracle of Insanity

A/N: YAY! Chapter 4! It makes me happy! -eats pretzel-

Dedicated to: SailorPrincess3234

Disclaimer:

Ri: La de da de da...

Sasuke: What?

Ri: Nothin'.

Sasuke: That's what they all say.

Ri: Liar.

Sasuke: Whatever. Just spill.

Ri: I'm sick of getting pissed off at video games.

Sasuke: Any game inparticular?

Ri: Well I just got a XBOX 360, so I've been playing _Need For Speed Most Wanted_.

Sasuke: Isn't that the one where you get chased by the cops and make your way up a blacklist or somethin'?

Ri: Yeah. That's the one.

Sasuke: So what's wrong?

Ri: I'm just gamed out!

Sasuke: Is that even possible for you?

Ri: I guess it is...

Sasuke: Weird. You've been playing games like that one since you were 5 years old, and just now, after what? Almost seven years you get sick of them?

Ri: Yup. But I don't play them 24/7 like my sis'.

Sasuke: You got a point.

Ri: Anyway, I do not own Naruto or any of it's characters.

Sasuke: Wow, first disclaimer where you've said that. Usually you're to moody or somethin' to do it right.

Ri: Well, ya never know.

Sasuke: Anyway... Here's Fireworks' Chapter 4!

Ri: The Miracle of Insanity!

**Fireworks**

**o0 Chapter 4 - The Miracle of Insanity 0o**

It was a nice, cool spring day. The sent of fresh peaches dashed across the early afternoon air.

Sakura skipped cheerily down the dusty road. It seems as though Naruto has been getting a lot of female visiters lately, huh?

Upon reaching Naruto's door she rapped lightly.

"What do you want, Sakura?" Naruto demanded just as he opened the door, glaring at the cherry-blossom-pink-haired girl.

"I was wondering if we could start over? Go on a picnic?" Sakura asked, a little taken aback, but still gripping tightly to her composure.

"Why would I do that?"

"'Cause you're the sweetest, nicest, and most forgiving guy I've ever met." Sakura said with a cute smile.

Naruto sighed. Knowing Sakura she wouldn't let up until he went. "Fine. Where to?"

Sakura squeaked with happiness, and, taking his arm, began leading him towards the dock around the Konoha lake.

**o0O0o**

"So, you ready, Sasuke-kun?" Hinata asked.

"Hmph," was Sasuke's reply.

"Then let's go!" Hinata announced. With that the two started heading down the sidewalk around the lake.

As the raven and blue couple strolled up to the end of the dock, Sasuke let his hand slip around Hinata's waist. She then called to the couple who had their feet dangling in the warm water at the end of the dock, "Hey! Naruto-kun! Sakura-san! What're you guys doin' here?"

The blonde turned and on sight of Sasuke's hand on Hinata's waist scowled at them both.

"What are we doing here? We should be the ones asking you guys the same question." Sakura retorted nastily, not even turning to look at Hinata and Sasuke.

"We're just out for a stroll!" Hinata answered.

"Well, we're just out for a picnic." Sakura replied.

The pair of girls continued bickering, neither noticed when the boys stepped out onto the grassy hill near the lake.

"So, how are things with Sakura?" Sasuke asked, a hint of sarcasm leaving his lips.

"Good, how are things with Hinata?" Naruto replied.

"Hmph."

Without warning Naruto charged Sasuke. The boys had already begun to fight vigorously before either of the girls noticed.

"Sasuke-kun!" Hinata screamed.

"Naruto-kun!" Sakura screeched.

The men did not stop. The girls had to run up the hill to where they were standing, beginning to breathe heavily.

Just before either of the boys moved again the girls jumped their boyfriends. "Don't fight!" They screamed together.

The guys finally noticed the girls screams when they were pounced. Both wrapped their arms around the girls.

"I'm sorry, Sakura-chan..." Naruto murmured.

Sasuke said nothing.

Here was Sakura's chance! She leaned up, and soon her lips were covered by Naruto's.

Hinata, seeing Naruto and Sakura taking their relationship to the next level, decided to take her and Sasuke's there as well. "Kiss me!"

"What?" Sasuke asked, a little scared of her answer.

"Kiss me, or no more tomatoes!"

"Urgh..." Sasuke's voice trailed off, but soon leaned down and kissed Hinata lightly.

None of them noticed something very important until it was too late.

SPLASH! All had fallen into the lake, and were now soaking wet. (A/N: -laughs-)

"Damn it..." the group all cursed.

**o0 Fin 0o**

A/N: Don't you just hate getting pushed into a pool or dunked underwater when you don't want to be? I do.

-Riri

P.S. POTATO!


	5. Shoot and Score

A/N: Ah... I'm in a fanfiction mood so I thought I might write this. No flames, they're just rude. Constructive criticism is welcome, but please be specific and nice about it.

Dedicated to: SailorPrincess3234

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or it's characters, but I do my own storylines. As well, I do not claim the starting dream. It's directly from Naruto episode 109, but I wrote it up.

**Fireworks**

_By: Rikotsu-sama_

**o0 Chapter 5 - Shoot and Score 0o**

_Tap. Tap. Tap. Footsteps. They are slowly getting louder. She looks to see that it is her beloved Sasuke. He has a backpack on on his back._

_Her eyes widen in fear as he stops, just a few feet away from her. "What're you doing... wandering around here at night?"_

"_Because in order to leave the village, you have to take this road," she answers._

"_Go home and sleep." is all he says as he walks past her, his hands shoved deeply into his pockets._

_A bitter-sweet silence is held between the two for only a few moments as silver tears begin to drip down her face. She whispers, "Why?" She turns to look at him as he continued on. "Why can't you tell me anything? Why do you always stay silent? Why won't you tell me anythin--?"_

"_Why do I have to tell you everything?" he demands in return as he stops walking._

_Tears are flowing like crystal rivers down her face now as he states coldly, "It's none of your business. Stop concerning yourself about what I do." _

_She bites her lower lip slightly before her lips curve into a sad smile. "You've... always hated me, huh?" she pauses. "Do you remember... the day we became Genin and our three-member team was first chosen? The day you and I were here alone, you got mad at me, remember?"_

_Silence._

"_I don't remember."_

_She had a surprised look on her face before she looked down at the cobblestone path they were standing on. Her tears began to fall to the cold stone._

"_Make's sense. That's something that happened a while back. But that's the day when everything started..." She smiled a genuine smile for the first time that night. "You and I... and also naruto and Kakashi-sensei. The four of us completed our missions together. They were though and a lot of work, but... above all... It was fun!" She reminded her team mate._

_Her eyes were beginning to turn red and puffy from all the tears. As she tried to smile the tears stopped flowing down her face, but they still lingered at the bottoms of her emerald eyes. "I know about your clan, but revenge..." She turns away from him._

_The moon shown brightly in the night sky, only clouded by the thin, rare clouds in the night sky._

"_That won't make anyone happy," she said. "No one. Neither you... nor I." She ended her speech and clenched her fists by the sides of her thin body, still staring at the ground._

_His voice shrouded in shadow, Sasuke spoke, "Just as I thought." She looks at him, he is still turned away. Her eyes are filled with confusion and clouded by pain. "I'm different from you guys. I walk a different path than you guys. I tried to think that it was my path to do the things we've done up until now. The four of us did things together, but my heart decided on revenge in the end. That's my purpose in life."_

_His eyes were covered with hate and no remorse. His heart had turned to ice before her very eyes. "I can't become like you or Naruto."_

_She clenches a fist to her heart, the tears once again flowing down her slender face to the cold stone of the path. She screams out, "Are you going to choose to be alone again! On that day, you taught me that solitude is painful! I understand that so well right now. I have a family, and I have friends, but if you're gone..." she pauses slightly as her voice softens. "To me... It'll be the same as being alone!" She has both hands clasped above her chest now, as if holding her heart in her hands to stop the pain of it breaking._

"_From now on... A new path will open for all of us." he states, his voice like daggers to her heart._

"_I... I love you so much!" She shouts at him. "If you stay with me I'll make sure you won't regret it! Every day will be fun. We'll definitely be happy. I'll do anything for you. So... Please! Stay here! I'll help you with your revenge. I'll do something! So please stay here... with me! If you can't stay... take me with you." she cries._

_Turning to look at her he gives her a sly grin. "You really _are_ annoying."_

_She stares at him in disbelief, her eyes filled with sadness more than hope._

_He turns away once again and begins to leave. Leave not just Konoha, but his former self, friends, and life behind._

"_Don't leave!" she yells after him, running a few steps after him before stopping again. "If you do, I'll scream!" she threatened. IN an instant he went from where he was to behind her. HIs eyes looked emotionless, almost... inhuman._

_The breeze blew scattered leaves around them, moonlight still pouring down over them._

"_Sakura... Thank you." He whispered to her, before tapping on her neck._

'Sasuke-kun...' _was the last think she thought before falling unconscious._

**o0O0o**

"Sasuke... kun..." Sakura mumbled as she tossed and turned in bed. She felt a cold hand on her shoulder and awoke, looking around a bit frantic. No one was there. Her room as quiet except the snoring from her little sister across the hall.

She sighed and laid back down in bed, staring at her peach wallpaper. She whispered, "Thank god it was only a nightmare..." before falling back into a sound sleep.

**o0O0o**

"What should I do? He doesn't seem the least bit interested, or jealous!"

"Hm... this poses a problem."

"Yes, it does."

"Hm... try doing something so cute he can't resist leaving Sakura for you."

"Such as...?"

Whispering.

"Ooh... That might work..."

"Of course it will."

"You're a genius. An evil genius," Hinata complemented.

"Why thank you," Kakashi thanked her.

**o0O0o**

The morning was hot. Almost unbearable. Naruto rapped lightly on his girlfriend's door. This was more unusual than all his early-morning female visitors a week ago. Him visiting a girl early in the morning.

"Naruto-kun!" the cherry blossom pink haired girl exclaimed as she opened the door to her apartment. "Please, come in! I was just about to make breakfast!"

"No need, Sakura-chan! I'm taking you to breakfast!" He smiled brightly, taking her hand and leading her out the door.

"What?" Sakura managed to mumble as she closed the door behind them and was led outside by the blonde.

"Breakfast! Ramen ramen ramen!" Naruto replied, his old habit of chanting ramen reappearing after years and years.

Sakura giggled, watching Naruto. Once they were outside they slowed down to a stroll, time to savor the time they have together. Hand in hand they walked down the cobble stone road to Ichiraku Ramen.

In the morning sun Naruto had a warm glow. Well, at least to Sakura he did. He had grown so much over the years. Instead of ugly and annoying he was hot and thoughtful. Man, Sakura could compliment him all day long, but it doesn't take all day to walk half a mile, now does it?

Once they had arrived at Ichiraku Ramen Naruto ordered for them both and started gobbling down ramen, not like a savage beast though. Politely digging in. Very unusual...

Sakura bearly ate any of her ramen, instead she just stared off into space, thinking about her dream the night before. Sasuke had hurt her so badly then. Why had she put up with it for so long? Oh well. That was in the past. She's with the man she truly loves now. Wait, did Sakura just say she loved Naruto? She was still not used to thinking about Naruto in a loving way even though it was the truth.

"Sakura-chan...?" Naruto asked, his mouth full of ramen. He had stopped to look at her, but she was just sitting there. Something was wrong. He swallowed the ramen that had been filling his mouth. "Is something wrong?"

Sakura took a few seconds to finally notice Naruto had said something. "Oh, what? Sorry, I have something on my mind!" She apologized, starting to eat her ramen hungrily.

"Would you like to tell me about it?" Naruto asked, beginning to become concerned.

"Yeah. Yes I would, but not here. How 'bout after breakfast we go back to my place for a movie marathon and ice cream?" Sakura proposed.

"Sounds good to me. Let's finish breakfast first though."

Both continued to eat their ramen in silence.

"I'll take my two of my usual please! Thank you!" A familiar blue-haired jounin ordered.

"Hmph."

Both Naruto and Sakura glanced over to see Hinata and Sakura sitting to their left. Since when did Hinata, of all people, have a usual ramen order? And since when does Sasuke even _eat _ramen?

Naruto and Sakura rapidly ate their ramen and were finished quickly. Just before they were about to leave they heard Hinata giggle, "Here, Sasuke-kun!" The couple looked to see Hinata FEEDING Sasuke RAMEN!

Naruto glared at Sasuke, Sasuke only grinned back as he happily ate the ramen.

"C'mon, Naruto-kun, we have a date to finish, remember?" Sakura insisted, tugging on Naruto's arm.

"Right!" Naruto answered, leaving Ichiraku Ramen hand-in-hand with Sakura.

They quietly walked back down the road. They were almost to Sakura's apartment when Naruto spoke, "Why don't you feed me ramen...?" He was wondering out loud again. Stupid Naruto.

**o0O0o**

"Shoot, and score!" Hinata exclaimed, grinning evilly.

"..." Sasuke pointed to his mouth.

Hinata sighed, "Fine..." She began feeding Sasuke the ramen again. If that was part of the deal, or just Sasuke being lazy we will never know...

**o0 Chapter Fin 0o**

A/N: Yay! Random Chappie! Kind of interesting, but it is still said that the best way to a man's heart is through his stomach!

-Riri


	6. Overkill

A/N: Yay! Next chappie! Don't forget to review! Reviews make Riri happy!

Dedicated to: SailorPrincess3234

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or it's characters, but I do my own storylines.

**Fireworks**

_By: Rikotsu-sama_

**o0 Chapter 6 - Overkill 0o**

Sakura was jumping up and down franticly as she waited for Naruto to open the door. Yesterday they had seen Sasuke and Hinata at Ichiraku ramen. It was clear now that Hinata was only trying to make Naruto jealous, but Naruto didn't know that. Sakura had noticed that on her own, and she wasn't at all anywhere near giving up Naruto to Hinata. She had gone through too much to get him for herself.

"Sakura-chan? I thought you said you were busy today..." Naruto wondered aloud after he opened the door and took a few seconds to register who was on his doorstep. Confusion was written all over his face.

"I am busy, busy with you!" Sakura giggled as she tugged on Naruto's sleeve. The weather was unbelievable! Just the day before it was blazing hot, now it was chilly enough to wear long sleeves and stay inside.

"But..." Naruto pointed to Sasuke sitting inside on the floor, a video game controller in hand.

Sakura raised an eyebrow. "So, you already have plans?"

Naruto nodded shyly. "You can join us if you want? I've got a third controller."

"No, no, it's fine. I'll just have some me shopping time. Sorry to disturb your game, Naruto-kun." Sakura half-growled. Flames danced in her eyes as she glared at Sasuke before stomping off.

Naruto just stood there in his doorway watching her leave. But what could he do? She said she was busy, so he made plans. Is that such a crime? But he didn't want to hurt her. _'Oh it's all so confusing.'_ Naruto thought.

Oh, Hinata had gone and done it now. Bribing Sasuke, kissing Sasuke, then sending Sasuke to spend time with Naruto so she couldn't, what will she do next? Kill Sakura off so she could finally get Naruto all to herself? She had already gone too far. She was going to get to the bottom of this right now.

**o0O0o**

"Hey, Sasuke, why are you dating Hinata-chan?" Naruto asked casually as he smashed down on the right trigger and A button of his controller.

"Why not?" Sasuke replied coolly. He knew where this was going.

"She doesn't seem to be your... type, so to speak."

Sasuke was rapidly tapping the A button on his controller and holding the right trigger as tight as if his very life depended on it. "..."

"And since when do you like ramen?" That was just the start. Naruto bombarded Sasuke with questions for at least five minutes straight before Sasuke finally gave in to the fact that Naruto wasn't going to stop unless he told him. Naruto was so pushy!

"JUST SHUT UP!" Sasuke commanded. "Hinata is paying me with tomatoes to go out with her, okay? Now shut the hell up and play, dobe!"

Naruto froze. His game character did the same. Sasuke kept on shooting. Naruto's character fell to the ground and the screen had the red words across it: "UchihaBlood has slain Ramen101!"

The booming voice echoed from the screen "OVERKILL!"

"Naruto, how would you die that quickly and why did you stop...?" Sasuke growled. He wanted to win, but win fair and square, not win against a frozen target. He looked over at his friend and noticed that his eyes were distant and glazed over with tears.

'_Hinata? Tomatoes? Paying?'_ Words and questions shot through Naruto's mind like bullets to glass. His mind was shattered, nothing made sense anymore. Hinata was always such a sweet girl, since when does she resort to bribing? That's when the thought hit him: _'It must have been obvious to Sakura! She didn't tell me!'_

He dropped the black and green controller as he clambered to his feet, an emotional wreck. Sasuke kept trying to ask him things and a worried expression covered his face, which was very unusual for anyone to have towards Naruto, let alone THE Uchiha Sasuke.

No matter how loud Sasuke seemed to shout or shake him, Naruto heard and felt nothing. His best chance with the girl of his dreams was ruined by Sakura the first time. He tried to forget, but no matter how much he tried it just kept coming back to smack him in the face. This was her fault. All Sakura's fault. He had previously said he loved her, what a lie that was now. His love for Hinata had just grown stronger when Sakura tried to love him back, and after all he had did to betray Hinata's trust she still loved him. He wasn't about to give up the the last chance he had at being able to set things right with the one girl that truly loves, cares, and knows him through and through.

Even though that's how Naruto felt about Hinata he was not yet ready to let go and ignore the fact that she used his best friend and played with his emotions like he was some kind of "boy toy". That was just not her.

Naruto stormed out of the house, leaving Sasuke dumbfounded in the doorway. "What did I say?" Sasuke asked himself dumbly.

**o0O0o**

Sakura knocked on Hinata's door a little... too hard. This ripped off a layer of skin off her knuckles. Sakura didn't care. She wanted to know what was going on and **now**!

"Sakura!" Hinata gasped when she opened the door to one of the many Hyuuga mansions. "You look horrid, is something wrong?" Hinata began to worry, it was written all over her slender face.

"What have you done?" Sakura demanded, angry as ever. Her hair was a mess having been hurriedly thrown into a ponytail. She had bags under her eyes and her eyes were bloodshot.

"What do you mean, Sakura?" Hinata asked, taken aback.

"Naruto! That's what I mean!" Sakura shouted.

Hinata immediately invited Sakura in which she accepted and they sat down in the living room on the couch. "Sakura, I never meant for this to go so far. I just wanted to get my Naruto-kun back..."

"Your? I think you mean my. He's my boyfriend and I do not intend to give him up. Now tell me everything. Every detail, who comes up with these ideas to make Naruto jealous, why you did this in the first place, and why couldn't you just grow up and move on!"

"Who came up with the ideas? Kakashi-sensei did. I went to him for help. Why did I do this in the first place? I wanted my sweet Naruto-kun for myself. It's unfair for all my years of finally building up the courage to ask him out and then you snatching him up like Sunday's Newspaper! I deserve him more than you! Relationships are built on friendship and gradually grow, not all of a sudden appear overnight! Although, since you're the catch of Konoha these days you think you can just claim any boy you want, no matter how it makes one or many of the other girls feel. As for why I couldn't just "grow up" and move on it's a very simple reason; I'm already grown up. You aren't." Hinata's speech ended with the final blow, making Sakura even more angry than before.

"I'm not? Look, your little Miss "too-shy-to-ask-a-guy-out-then-blame-it-on-the-girl-that-got-there-first"! I got Naruto fair and square!" Sakura screamed, standing again.

Little did either of the girls know that a certain blonde Jounin was standing in the doorway. "Oh, so now I'm a possession to be kept, like a puppy, Sakura? That's low. Even for you." Naruto growled at the pink kunoichi.

"Naruto-kun!"

"Naruto-kun!" Both the girls echoed.

"But... Naruto-kun... I--" Sakura began, her eyes becoming soft and drenched in pain. Those few words coming from him made it feel like her heart was being ripped right out of her chest.

"Save it, Sakura. I don't care anymore. You've hurt me and insulted me in every possible way." Naruto continued.

Hinata looked defiant and stuck her tongue out childishly at Sakura who now had glossy tears falling down her flawless face.

Naruto pointed at Hinata and gave her a glare that could pierce armor. "Now don't go thinking you were any better! You bribed my best friend to be your boyfriend, you played with my emotions, you've betrayed my trust just as much as Sakura has, Hinata. Both of you have been childish and selfish. Don't go thinking that whoever gets me gets me. I'm a person too, just to let you know. I have feelings, don't I get to choose?"

The girls both looked guilty and looked down at the redwood floors, nodding slightly.

Feeling triumphant Naruto glared at both of them before walking out, leaving both of them in tears and with shattered hearts.

After a few minutes of silence and sobbing Sakura also left. A lot of tears were shed that night; not just from Sakura and Hinata either. Naruto was left to mop in the sorrows of having to yell at both the girls that had ever cared for him. Sakura was left to drown in her tears knowing that she had blown it with the one guy that actually knew her (or so she thinks). Hinata was left to dwell on her wrong doings and try to come up with a way to set things right.

Whereas Sasuke, he was only left to drown in the sorrows of not getting anymore tomatoes from Hinata. Poor Sasuke.

**o0 Chapter Fin 0o**

A/N: Sobby chapter! TT Anyways, very interesting developments, no? And poor Sasuke! He had it the worst! D: Hope you liked this chapter!

-Riri

P.S. Did you know I do my best writing when I'm falling asleep? Yeah. It's true. It's 3:32 AM right now, and I'm just finishing this up. Kind of strange. I think I'm part nocturnal.


	7. Death Grip on My Heart

A/N: Ah, dramaticness (yes, I made up a word) is not over. But we will soon get to the true pairings. Oh, and I'm also trying something new, from character's points of view. It's just for one chapter though, unless people like it. The only reason I'm doing it is because of all the opinions expressed in this chapter. Makes it so much easier for me to write (I'm lazy).

Dedicated to: SailorPrincess3234

Disclaimer: I'm still uncreative with these, so here: I don't own Naruto or it's characters. They all belong to Masashi Kishimoto-sama. I do my own storylines though.

**Fireworks**

_By: Rikotsu-sama_

**o0 Chapter 7 - Death Grip on My Heart 0o**

_Hinata's P.O.V._

It's been three weeks. Three agonizing weeks. It was like a death grip constantly had my heart in it's clutches. I couldn't sleep well, in fact, I tried not to sleep at all knowing that I would have to see him again in my dreams. Dark circles appeared below my eyes, and soon they became part of my normal appearance.

If I passed him in the streets I tried not too look at anything orange because it reminded me of him. Then, every time I saw him I would look up from staring at the ground and he would be there. Laughing, singing, dancing, talking with friends. He would still take my breath away, still catch my eye no matter how hard I tried not to see him. What did I do to deserve this? I had done so much, worked so hard to try and get him back and this is what I end up with? Nothing? That's hardly fair.

This is all that Haruno girl's fault. She's the one who took my precious Naruto-kun from me. She needs to pay for what she has taken from me, but after all that happened in those few days, weeks ago it might be best to stay my normal sweet self for awhile... But whoever said that I couldn't get someone else to do it for me?

But who would help me with such a thing? I can't go to Naruto. I can't go to Sasuke; he's not speaking to me either. I certainly cannot go to Neji, Tenten, or Lee-san. I can't go to Gaara-sama, Temari, or Konkuro either. Hm... who then? I can't go to anyone who loves Sakura. I can't go to Kiba or Shino either. They would just laugh at me like usual. Stupid boys. I can't go to Anko-sensei, Iruka-sensei, Asuma-sensei, or any others... Choji and Shikamaru are out of the picture.

So... that leaves two options: Ino and Kakashi-sensei. Even though Kakashi-sensei loves Sakura because of being her sensei, he's devious enough to help me and ever since when they became Genin Ino and Sakura have hated each other.

Actually, on second thought, Kakashi-sensei would be much better than Ino, he already had experience with this sort of stuff; which would just make the revenge all the richer for me. Not to mention, more painful for Sakura, being betrayed by her beloved sensei.

This is a good start. Now I need to figure out what I'm going to do to get her back for ruining my chance with my Naruto-kun.

Wait, did I just say _my_ Naruto-kun? I shouldn't claim him! He isn't a possession! He's a living, breathing, person just like me! Not to be claimed... But I would so very much love it if he were mine.

**o0O0o**

_Sasuke's P.O.V._

Something's wrong with me. Something is seriously wrong with me. I've never felt this way. I am THE Uchiha Sasuke. I'm not supposed to have feelings. And towards _her_ none the less? Could life be any worse?

I had been wandering about that night three weeks ago looking for Naruto; I wanted a re-match in _Unreal Championship_ considering he had spaced in the middle of our match. C'mon, who wouldn't want a re-match?

Back to the story anyway. I was wandering about the streets when a certain pink kunoichi bumped into me. I immediately scolded her for being so clumsy, but she didn't really seem to notice until she looked up at me. That's when she screamed at me about how she didn't need anymore shit from me that she was having enough problems without me.

It hurt. I never knew that something as petty as words could hurt that much. I had been just as mean to her on many an occasion before then, why did she scream at me that time? I had no clue why. She just stomped off, tears running down her face. I asked myself what I had done, but I would learn soon enough.

Later that week, when I finally tracked down Naruto I asked him why Sakura was in the state she was. He told me what happened. How he had yelled at both her and Hinata about fighting over him. Things made a lot more sense after that, but her words would not leave my mind.

"_Just shut the hell up. I don't need anymore shit from you, Sasuke-baka. I've gone through too much tonight. I've got enough problems without you." _Her words were as cold as winter rain and cut through my heart like needles. I know pain. I've gone through a lot of it. But this... was different.

(A/N: It was like Sakura's mind was kicking Sasuke in the butt. Hehehe.)

Watching her leave, I was frozen. I wanted to respond, but when I opened my mouth to speak no words came out. Is this what some people would call "breath-taking"? I've tried to talk to her a few times since then, but she just responds with a harsh glare and a hand in my face. Oh, how I hate the saying "Talk to the hand.". It just pisses me off. This whole feeling in my gut and the hold on my heart is pissing me off. I wish it would all just go away.

Why must I endure this? Maybe there's something I can do about it? But who would know what to do? I certainly don't. Kakashi. He knows everything. I'll go see Kakashi in the morning.

**o0O0o**

_Sakura's P.O.V._

Damn it I hate her! Everything was going great with Naruto until she had to come along! That bitch! I know she had a crush on him since like... ever, but I got to him first. He was mine; and will be soon enough. I need someone to exact revenge on that betraying whelp.

Knowing that she would need someone who was skilled in the art of making people suffer, or just someone who would help her with anything at all she finally settled on Kakashi-sensei. Plus, seeing as he had helped Hinata with trying to get Naruto, he probably had some experience in that department as well.

**o0O0o**

_Naruto's P.O.V._

I can't remember. It's all a blur; these past few weeks. I faintly remember being my normal self: going to the movies, ramen, video games, challenging Sasuke to sparring matches. But nothing is clear, it's all fuzzy like you're watching life go by in slow motion through static.

Yet, all that I don't remember doesn't matter. What does matter is what I do remember. My heart felt like it was dying, I just wanted to obey it's want and crawl in a hole and die. But somehow, no matter how much my body went numb and I didn't feel like I could keep going my legs just kept going; not stopping for anything at all.

When I saw her on the street, her clear silver eyes were distant. I knew that she still loved me. Why did things have to end so badly? The world is spinning, running to anywhere but there; here. I wish I could forget all that had happened, but...

_But what?_ A voice demanded from the back of my mind.

I don't know. What would I say to her? What if she wouldn't forgive me for screaming at her? I have a million questions and no answers. I need advice. But from who? What about Ero-seniin? No. He'd just make everything worse with his womanizing. I need someone who has experience in that department. Old Lady Tsunade? No. That old hag would just call me a pervert and throw me out. Then who...?

That's it! Kakashi-sensei! He's always reading those perverted books, so he must know_ something _about relationships.

**o0 Chapter Fin 0o**

A/N: Am I the only one getting the feeling that Sakura might have just been using Naruto as a way to escape her feelings for Sasuke? I'll try to sneak that in somewhere.

-Riri

P.S. Thanks to TheShamanMaster, cookie aka Lala, xXkakashi krazyXx, rcr, Miss Koaru, and FLCLrox for reviewing on chapter 6! I hope you liked this chapter and will review it too!


	8. Stuck in the Middle

Yes, chapter eight. This is by far the longest fiction I have ever written. I mostly have written oneshots, but I just started a full-length RyuShu fiction... I'm rambling again, aren't I? Anyways, for all of you out there that have subscribed to this fiction Akira-san, carina28, cookie aka Lala, Demon of Konoha, Godaime Tsunade, kimbie-animegal-saskanechi-sakyan4ever (wowzerz long screen name, dude!), KrAzI JaY, rcr, SORA-FISHIE-MADDENESS, susakuru, TheShamanMaster, and Tsumii. Yes. I know who you are... mwuahahahaha! Yeah, I love reviews, plus, I just gave you the honor of being at the beginning of this chapter! I love reviews! -hint hint- -hint hint-

Dedicated to: SailorPrincess3234

Disclaimer: Yet again, la laziness continues! I don't own Naruto or any of it's characters, but I do my own storylines.

**Fireworks**

_By: Rikotsu-sama_

**o0 Chapter 8 - Stuck in the Middle 0o**

Normal. That was what Hatake Kakashi thought this day would be; just another dull day. Oh, how wrong he was.

It was still cool at seven in the morning when Kakashi's doorbell rang. He lethargically meandered to the door and opened it to the sight of Sasuke. Unusual.

"Kakashi." Sasuke stated.

"Sasuke." Kakashi answered.

"I need to talk to you." This should be good.

"Hm, about what?" Kakashi asked, gesturing for Sasuke to come in.

Sasuke stepped in and sat down on the nearby couch. "Something's wrong with me."

"Hm, is there now?" Kakashi asked, sitting in an arm chair across from Sasuke.

"Yes. There is. It's Sakura."

"Hm..." Now Kakashi was interested.

"Every time I see her I feel like I'm dying. This has only happened since she dated Naruto."

"Jealousy."

"Excuse me?"

"You're in love with Sakura."

"..."

"The reason you love her is because she doesn't love you. You find it attractive, the fact that she doesn't want you intrigues you."

"You're not making any sense at all."

"You want Sakura is the jest of it."

"Not possible." Sasuke stated harshly.

"Not probable." Kakashi corrected him.

"Bu-"

"No buts. Now, go and think on it. Come back to me when you're settled on denial or wanting to do something about your love for Sakura."

"Hmph." Sasuke stomped out.

Kakashi could only hope that was the only visit from one of the nine former-rookies that day.

**o0O0o**

At eleven in the morning he had had a visit from Hinata, whom he rarely saw, let alone spoke with; except when she came to him for devious ideas.

"Kakashi-sensei...?" Hinata asked shyly after he invited her into his house and they sat down in the living room.

"Yes?" He answered, looking up from _Ichi Ichi Paradise_.

"You know how Naruto and Sakura broke up and now Naruto isn't talking to me or her, right?"

"Yes."

"Will you help me?"

"With what?"

"Exacting revenge upon the girl that ruined my life of course!" Hinata blurted out, flustered.

"Can't help you there."

"What!"

"I'm not tampering into that matter anymore. Don't want to get hurt."

"Urg!" Hinata cursed, storming out.

That went well, now didn't it?

**o0O0o**

Knock. Knock. It was three P.M.

'_Not again...'_ was the only thing Kakashi thought as he opened his front door.

"Kakashi-sensei?"

"Naruto?" Kakashi replied. "Please, come in."

"Thanks." Naruto thanked his sensei and took a seat in the living room. Kakashi followed and sat in the chair that had _Ichi Ichi Paradise_ on the arm of it, he quickly began reading it again as Naruto sat there in silence, twiddling his thumbs.

"Kakashi-sensei?" Naruto asked.

"Hm?" Kakashi-sensei mumbled, not looking up from _Ichi Ichi Paradise_.

"I have a problem." Naruto continued.

"Hm, and what's that?" Not interested.

"I like this girl."

"Is that so?" Still not interested.

"I know she likes me, but I kind of... did something bad to her."

"Hm!" Interested. Kakashi sat up from his slouching state and set _Ichi Ichi Paradise_ down.

"Not something like that!" Naruto exclaimed, blushing.

Kakashi rested back down in his chair. "Okay, then what?"

"I yelled at her..."

Kakashi gave Naruto a look that said 'rightandyouthinkthat'sdoingsomethingbadtoherhuhmanyouneedtolearnaboutwhatbadthingsare.'

"It's bad by my terms!"

"Mm-hm."

"Well, I want to apologize to her, but I don't want to face rejection."

"Why are you being so girly?"

"Girly?"

"You're being girly. Worrying about rejection, you do better just charging in face first without worrying about the consequences."

"Okay. Thanks." _'For nothing.' _With that Naruto left.

**o0O0o**

Since now three of those four had come, Kakashi was expecting Sakura anytime now.

Knock. Knock. There she is. Right on time. Four hours later. It was now seven P.M.

Kakashi got up from where he was eating at his kitchen table and opened his front door.

"Kakashi-sensei?" Sakura asked.

"Ah, I've been expecting you." Kakashi replied, gesturing for her to come in.

Thinking nothing of this she walked in with finesse and took the same seat that all the others had taken that day.

"So, what advice do you need, Sakura?" Kakashi inquired, not bothering to pick up _Ichi Ichi Paradise_ because he knew he'd just have to get back to Sakura soon.

"How did you know I needed advice?"

"Pervert's intuition."

Sakura burst out laughing at this but soon calmed herself. "Okay, well I want to get revenge on Hinata for messing up what I had with Naruto."

Sound familiar?

"Ah, I see. I'm not going to go any deeper into that conflict."

"Why not!"

"I do not want to be blamed for any mishaps."

"Urg!" Sakura grunted, getting up to leave. "You have just doomed yourself, Kakashi."

"Is that so?"

"It is. And I will be back." Sakura threatened, before exiting.

'_What an interesting day. Now back to _Ichi Ichi Paradise_!'_ Kakashi thought.

**o0 Chapter Fin 0o**

A/N: Meh.

-Riri

P.S. Please review.


	9. A Gambling Problem

Yay! Funny chapter, funny chapter...

Dedicated to: SailorPrincess3234

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or any of it's characters. I do my own storylines.

**Fireworks**

_By: Rikotsu-sama_

**o0 Chapter 9 - A Gambling Problem 0o**

"_Ha!" Naruto grunted, slamming down the Y button on his controller._

"_Oh, you like close combat, eh?" Sasuke taunted. "Well then get ready for my... beam sword!"_

"_Shit..." Naruto cursed under his breath as his screen went black and bloody letters dripped down spelling out the words "Game Over"._

"_Hah, beat you again!" Sasuke announced as big green Flashing letters came over his screen and the T.V. shouted "Winner!"._

"_Damn it." Naruto cursed again._

"_Now I get to take your game! I already took your girl, your ramen, your spirit, and crushed your heart. I wonder what else I can take?" Sasuke laughed in a mocking tone. Very Unlike him. "Your life?"_

_Black. All Naruto saw was blackness, until a drop of ruby ran down his vision._

"SASUKE!" Naruto shouted, sitting up in bed. Beads of sweat were rolling down his face, and he just knew that something bad was going to happen the following day, but hey: Naruto's been wrong before. Although he's been right to...

**o0O0o**

Knock. Knock.

(A/N: Who's there?)

"Mmm..." Naruto mumbled, rolling out of bed with a thump on the floor. He groggily climbed to his feet with the help of his bedside table and hobbled out of his bed room, down the hall and to the front door.

The half-asleep blonde opened the door and leaned on it, his vision to blurry to tell who was on his doorstep.

"Are you just going to stand there in a daze or let me come in, dobe?" Sasuke demanded.

"Oh, Sasuke. Sorry. Come in..." his voice trailed off into light snoring. How many ways can Naruto fall asleep?

**o0O0o**

"Hm..." Naruto grumbled, finally deciding to get out of bed. He glanced at his clock it read "4:27".

Upon entering the living room Naruto was confused when he saw Sasuke sitting on his sofa reading a book and sipping a glass of lemonade.

"Uh... Sasuke?" Naruto asked.

"Yeah?" Sasuke replied, not looking up from his book.

"Why are you in my house?"

"You said I could come in."

"I did?" Naruto was more confused than ever.

"Yes, you did just before falling asleep on the door. I hope you don't mind I put you back in bed and made myself at home."

"Huh?" Oh, so confused.

"Sit. I'll cut to the chase." Sasuke finally set down his book and gestured to one of the nearby armchairs.

Naruto sat, still confused.

"I need advice."

"W-what...?" Naruto stuttered, never in a million years would Sasuke come to him for advice unless he was seriously ill, or the problem threatened his very life. Which surprisingly was... Never.

"I need advice, now don't be dumb. How do you ask out a girl?"

"You came to me for... love advice?" Naruto stared at Sasuke in disbelief.

"Yes."

How could he not be ashamed of this? "Um... you get them alone then just ask them casually if they'd like to go out sometime... I guess..."

"That's it?"

"Yeah... I guess... I've never really done it before..." Naruto admitted.

"Then how were you dating Sakura!" Sasuke demanded.

"She kind of threw herself at me the first time, then she asked me out."

"You're so... Lame."

"Coming from you that's a compliment."

"Whatever. You're no help." He got up and began to leave.

"Wait. Why were you asking me about asking a girl out anyway? Since when do you worry about those sorts of things? I thought you wanted nothing to do with girls and dating, yet all of a sudden you come to me, who you never come to for stuff, and ask for advice on asking out the other sex?" Naruto asked, hitting Sasuke's weak spot right smack dab in the middle; where it's most painful.

Sasuke stopped, just a few feet from where he had been sitting. "..."

"You like a girl, don't you?" Ow. "Someone close-by." Ouch. "Someone you can't have." Stop it! "Someone who wanted you." Please! "Who doesn't want you now, so you want her." It hurts! "You like Sakura, don't you?" You're killing me... "No. You _love_ Sakura."

Sasuke's body stiffened as he turned to face the ANBU kitsune. "You're one to talk. You're in love with Hyuuga Hinata."

"That's not the same. I do not deny my love for her. I've liked her for a while now. You, you just all of a sudden discover an "I'll die for her" love overnight. You're the one who shouldn't be talking."

"..."

"Here: Since neither of us know anything about getting our girl, I'll make you a bet."

"I'm listening."_ 'Tomatoes?'_ Sasuke thought.

"Whichever of us gets our girl first buys the other something. What would you want?"

"Five baskets of fresh tomatoes from the Country of Mist."

"Oh, that'd be hard to get... Then I would want an all I can eat ramen dinner at Ichiraku's. **All** I can eat."

"You've got a deal."

**o0O0o**

"Damn it all..." Sasuke cursed, slamming his fist down on the table, nearly cracking it in half.

'**You should just stop destroying the house and ask her out.'** Inner Sasuke recommended in a tone that made Sasuke feel like he as the stupidest creature on the face of the planet.

'_I'm going on a walk.'_ Sasuke thought, trying to ignore his inner self's comment.

'**Suit yourself. You're letting the one girl that's ever and will ever truly love you.'** By this time Sasuke was already out the door and was walking towards the Konoha forest.

'_Shut up. You don't know anything.'_

'**And what makes you think you know anything either, baka?'**

'_I don't think I know anything about this stuff.'_

'**Oh yeah right. The forest has always been the place you go to think when you're perplexed about something you think you should know or you think you know but really don't.'** Unfortunately, Inner Sasuke was right. Ever since childhood Sasuke loved to take walks in the forest to calm himself or try and straighten things o ut within himself; this was no exception to that tradition.

'...' Sasuke stayed silent until they reached the edge of the forest when he began jumping at high speeds from low tree branch to tree branch.

'_Y'know, you should just shut up about the whole matter.'_

'**And why should I do that?'**

'_Because it's none of your business.'_

'**None of my business?'**

'_Yeah.'_

'**Don't forget, your business _is_ my business.'**

'_Why's that?'_

'**I am you.'**

'_...'_

'**So just stop trying to get rid of me.**'

'_Hmph.'_

'**So, what're you going to do to get Sakura before Naruto gets Hinata?'**

'_I don't know.'_

'**How 'bout you just walk up to her and ask her out?'**

'_...'_

'**What? It's simple: easy to remember.'**

'_It's stupid. Sakura hates me, she'd just coldly push me away like I've done her.'_

'**You're stupid, y'know that?'**

'_Don't insult me!'_

'**Why not? You're being stupid!'**

'_I am not! I'm thinking things through!'_

'**Stupid.'**

'_SHUT UP!'_

'**Watch what you're-!'**

Oops. Sasuke had been too busy fighting with himself to pay attention to his chakra control and he had released too much chakra, which made his body zoom backwards and to the ground.

Hitting the ground at such a high speed knocked the wind out of him, and by the time that he could catch his breath he stood and felt woozy.

He cringed when pain surged through his right arm. He looked to find a liquid dripping down his arm from just below his shoulder.

Crimson.

**o0 Chapter Fin 0o**

A/N: La de da... Please review!

-Riri


	10. Someday, Somewhere, Somehow

Dun dun dun... I don't have much to say here... Just hope you like it! Please review!

Dedicated to: SailorPrincess3234

Disclaimer:

Ri: -whistles-

Naruto: Out with it!

Ri: With what?

Naruto: You know what.

Ri: No really, I don't.

Naruto: You do so.

Ri: Do not.

Sasuke: Won't you two just shut up!

Sakura: You shut up, Sasuke-baka!

Ri: Whatever.

Naruto: -gives Sasuke and Sakura a strange look-

Ri: I don't own Naruto or any of it's characters, but I do my own storylines.

Sasuke & Sakura: Shut up! -they go back to fighting-

Ri: Man, they really do love each other, don't they?

Naruto: Yup. Love is showed in strange ways...

**Fireworks**

_By: Rikotsu-sama_

**o0 Chapter 10 - Someday, Somewhere, Somehow 0o**

"Tsunade-sama." Sakura stated, bowing to the Hokage.

"Sakura? It is rare for you to visit me." Tsunade pointed out.

"Yes, I know Tsunade-sama. I would just like to formally withdraw from the ANBU ranks."

"Hm? And why would you do that?"

"I feel that I have not been keeping up my duties there, and I believe that I would do much better as a simple med-nin in the Konoha hospital."

"Very well. If that is your desire. Go to the hospital now and give them this." Tsunade handed Sakura a note.

"Tsunade-sama?"

"I knew something like this would come up one day, so it's already set up. You're first shift is tonight. They're short on nurses right now so you'll be the only one there. Just leave the note on the front desk."

"Thank you, Tsunade-sama." With that Sakura left in a puff of smoke.

"Heh. This shall be interesting..." Tsunade chuckled to herself as she leaned back in her chair.

**o0O0o**

Crimson was still sliding down his arm in a river as he stumbled into the hospital.

His vision hazy, it seemed as if he was trying to look through fog.

"I've... Lost too much... Blood..." Sasuke huffed, looking around for a nurse. The place looked deserted in the dark.

It just so happened that the newest Konoha Hospital med-nin was already there and upon getting a beep on her pager signaling that someone had come in the front door she hurried downstairs to find a collapsed Sasuke.

"Sasuke-kun!" Sakura shouted, hurrying to his side and rolling him from on his stomach to onto his back. She squeaked upon seeing the gash on his arm.

'**Sasuke-kun? I thought you hated him?'** Inner Sakura taunted as Sakura picked up Sasuke bridal-style (hehe poor Sasuke, how mortifying) and hurried up the nearby stairs to the second floor.

'_I do...'_

'**Liar. You still like him!'**

'_I do not! I don't want anything to do with this in-sensitive jerk!'_

'**You may deny it, but that does not make your feelings disappear.'**

'_I don't like him anymore, okay!'_

'**Uh-huh. Sure.'**

'_I don't!... Right?'_

'**Hah! You admitted it! You still like Sasuke!'**

'_I didn't admit it. I just...'_

'**You just what?'**

'_...'_ By this time Sakura had gone into an open room laid Sasuke down on one of the medical beds.

She quickly closed the wound with a med jutsu and cleaned off his arm, but it would be sometime before the wound healed on the inside. She then changed his shirt, because it was blood-soaked. Sighing, Sakura sat on a nearby stool to watch Sasuke's breathing steady.

'**See?'** Inner Sakura demanded.

'_See what?'_ Sakura asked her inner self.

'**You do still like him.'**

Sakura sighed, she hated admitting it, but after trying to hate him for almost a month she couldn't stand it. She could never hate him, but she had to act like she still did, because she knew that Sasuke would just call her weak again.

'_Fine. I do like him, but I can't just forgive him.'_

A silence ensued as Sakura watched Sasuke's steady breathing.

**o0O0o**

Sasuke opened eyes slowly as the area around him came into focus. "Mm..." He groaned, sitting up and looking around.

"Sasuke...kun..." Sakura mumbled from the stool to the left of his bed.

Sasuke turned his head quickly to see who had said his name.

'_Shit!' _Sasuke thought as he looked at Sakura. Sakura's head was rested on a desk and her eyes were closed. Her head was turned to face him, she must've fallen asleep while watching him.

'_She's so... peaceful...' _Sasuke climbed off the bed and stood next to Sakura's sleeping form, admiring the peacefulness of the tiny breeze flowing through the open window making her hair blow lightly and the beauty of how vulnerable she looked.

'**Stop admiring her and wake her up!' **Inner Sasuke screamed.

'_And why would I wake her?' _Sasuke asked.

'**Because... uh...'**

'_Hm?'_

'**I don't know, baka!'**

Deciding not to wake up Sakura, Sasuke walked to the door and began to opening when-

"Where'd you think you're going?" the voice asked.

"Home." Sasuke answered coldly.

"You aren't to leave this hospital for three days." Sakura stated, her voice just as cold as Sasuke's.

Sasuke turned to see Sakura's body had not moved, but he presumed she was faking sleep. "..."

"Now follow me." Sakura commanded, standing up from her seat on the stool and walking up to Sasuke.

"Why?" Sasuke growled at her, closing the last step between them so that their mouths were mere inches apart.

"Because I need to re-bandage your arm, and I don't have anymore gauze." Sakura answered, her glare shooting daggers at Sasuke.

"I don't need my arm re-bandaged."

"Yes you do."

"No I don't. My arm is fine." Just at this moment Sasuke flinched in pain and blood started seeping through the bandage on his arm.

"It is not."

"Oh really?"

"Really." Their lips were millimeters apart.

"It is... not..."

Just on sheer instinct they kissed.

**o0O0o**

Ash and sapphire collided as they passed in the streets. Both stopped, filled with remorse, angst, and sadness.

People passed by them, busy on their way, but the world seemed empty without the other.

Limitations on what they could do were abundant, both wanted to hold the other and just blurt out "I love you, I want you, I need you.", but what had happened stopped both.

Emanating from the pair was a cold aura covered in sorrow and loneliness.

Asking themselves "Why, oh why?". They turn away.

Sinking deeper and deeper into loathsome despair, they continued on.

Either that was what they wanted, or they didn't want to look, to go back to that. They wanted to move on, forget the past but not who was still living in it.

Walking past one-another their shoulders brushed and both stopped, and no matter how hard both tried not to look back neither could resist the insatiable urge to see the other one last time before they parted ways.

Standing mere inches away both turned to see the other, and believing this was only a dream they reached out their hand and rested it on the other's hand between them.

"Every time I hear your voice I cringe in pain at the fact that I've never heard it directed at me... In the way I've heard it directed at her..." Hinata whispered, a single shimmering tear slipping down her face.

Naruto simply shook his head and walked away.

Life seemed to be going in slow motion as he left her standing there all the people bustling by and her standing there, crying.

To Hinata, life was unfair, cruel, despicable. Unlivable. But she knew she had to keep going, for the meeting of tomorrow.

**o0 Chapter Fin 0o**

A/N: ...

-Riri


	11. Remind Me Again

Wow... O.O This is turning out to be a very long fiction, huh? Well, it is for me, so don't crush my hopes and dreams... TT

Dedicated to: SailorPrincess3234

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or any of it's characters, but I write and create my own storylines.

**Fireworks**

_By: Rikotsu-sama_

**o0 Chapter 11 - Remind Me Again... 0o**

"Remind me again how I got locked in a closet with you!" A male voice demanded through the darkness off the tiny storage closet. In fact, the closet was so small with all the supplies in it that their legs were touching, uncomfortably to say the least.

"I... tripped..." The female replied, blushing. She was glad that through the small black space between them that he could not see her blushing. She could not afford to show weakness.

It was his third night in the hospital, and they had gone to get more bandages. He had insisted that he get them himself, she had just... tripped, and now they were locked in a closet. Wonderful.

"Great, and how long is it until we get out!" he continued to question her.

"M... um..." She mumbled.

"When!"

"M-... Morning..."

"Great!"

"Why's it matter to you either? It's not like anythings going to happen." She growled, a mood swing sweeping over her.

"None of your business." He growled equally as fiercely.

"Oh, I'm making it my business now. Plus, what else are we going to do in this cramped closet for nine hours?"

"..."

"Spit it out!"

"I'm..."

"You're...?"

"Claustrophobic. There! Now shut up! You're giving me a headache." beads of sweat were rolling down the boy's forehead and his eyes darted from corner to corner of the closet.

"Ahaha... So the great Sasuke Uchiha has a fear. I can't wait to tell all your fangirls." The girl taunted.

"I told you to shut up, Sakura." Sasuke growled at her.

"That doesn't mean I have to. It's a free country. I can do what I want, say what I want."

"Hmph."

"So..."

"..."

Sakura shifted her nimble form and in an attempt to get to be not touching Sasuke she ended up closer. Now almost all the space between them was closed. Fantastic.

"Smooth." Sasuke let slip out sarcasm covering his words like chocolate coating.

"Shut up." Sakura grumbled, punching Sasuke in the arm.

Sasuke twitched violently, since Sakura had just punched his injured arm.

'Sorry!' Sakura thought. She did not want Sasuke to know she had unintentionally hit his hurt arm. It was a simple reflex.

A silence fell between the two for only a few minutes before...

"Remind me again..." Sasuke whispered.

"Hm?" Sakura whispered in reply.

"Why is there no light switch in this closet?"

"There is a light switch..."

"Then why haven't you turned it on?"

"Because... I uh... Like the dark?"

"Turn it on."

"Fine..." Sakura sighed, flipping on the light switch to her right.

"Now..." Sasuke whispered, pulling Sakura close with one hand.

"Ah...!" Sakura squeaked as she was taken into Sasuke's strong arms... well, arm.

"Remind me why..." He brushed away a glossy lock of cherryblossom hair away from Sakura's eye and let his hand rest on her soft cheek.

"Why I cannot have you?"

**o0O0o**

"Why can't I have you?"

"I... I... Don't know."

"Then why does the past matter?"

Darkness was quickly consuming the couple as they stood in the park. The peaceful breeze blew softly through the the non-blooming cherry blossom trees above them and the street lights began to flicker on in the distance.

"Because..." He murmured.

"Please tell me!" She insisted.

"..."

"Maybe I could right my wrong?"

"I don't know..."

"Please..."

Tears were now rolling down her face as a cold gust of wind sent shivers up her spine.

"I did not mean to cause you such pain... I did not mean for it to have gone that far... I didn't mean for..." She pleaded.

"I know..." He whispered.

"Then why... please answer me! Why can I not be with you?"

"I don't know! Haven't I told you that?"

"Yes, but why don't you know?"

"I don't know. That's why I do not know!"

"..." She was sobbing now, almost incandescent tears falling to the ground.

Sighing he replied, "I didn't mean to yell at you..."

"..."

"I want to be with you, but..."

"But what?"

"..."

"I want to be with you, you want to be with me... Isn't that reason enough just to be together?"

"I don't... know..."

"Please, stop saying that and just stay near me."

"But..."

Hinata put a finger to his lips. "No buts... just please... Stay with me..."

Naruto sighed as she slipped her arms around his lean body and rested her head gently on his chest. He rested his hands softly around her hips and rested his chin on her head.

It was both of their right to want to be with the person they care about, right? Then why did it feel so... uncomfortable... like something was happening that they should know about... but don't?

**o0O0o**

"I hate you..." Sasuke breathed.

"I hate you more..." Sakura whispered.

Their lips connected once more and their tongues did the tango like pros. How is it that one person can love someone so much, yet hate them more than anything in this world?

They broke for breath and the couple was breathing heavily. They had been making out for seven straight minutes of pure heaven.

"I want you..." Sasuke whispered.

"I _need_ you..." Sakura replied, kissing him passionately once again.

Breaking the kiss Sasuke asked, "Stay with me? For today, tomorrow, and-..."

"Always." Sakura answered.

Silence ensued this, as they studied each other's features.

Sasuke gazed deeply into Sakura's emerald eyes, and played with her delicate bubble-gum pink locks.

Sakura looked over Sasuke's raven hair and onyx eyes before trailing her way down his muscular figure... Why had it taken so long for her to finally get him... Why? Please tell me why... Remind me again...

She leaned in and licked his lips lightly before kissing him again. He nibbled on her lower lip and began trailing kisses down her neck and along her collar bone, leaving bruises in his wake.

With each kiss he earned a small groan from Sakura.

Her beauty stunned him, her lips took his breath away, her figure tore his eyes away. She was so perfect, her voluptuous body, her loving personality... Why could he not see them before?

Clothes hit the ground as they became more in the moment, and through all of it... neither said a word...

**o0O0o**

Hand-in-hand Hinata and Naruto were walking along a brightly lit street, shops on either side of them as they walked slowly along.

"Is it just me, or do you have this feeling that we should be somewhere, somewhere helping someone with something...?" Naruto asked randomly.

"No, I've got that feeling too... But since we don't have any clue as to whom or what we should be helping or doing we should just ignore it... Right?" Hinata answered.

"I guess..."

"..."

"It just sort of unnerves me a little..."

"We're on a date! We should be happy!"

"I know... So, why don't we lighten up the mood a bit?"

"What're you suggesting...?"

"Ramen!" Naruto exclaimed, pointing to the Ichiraku Ramen Bar just down the street. I guess even in these circumstances... Naruto is still just... Naruto.

**o0 Chapter Fin 0o**

A/N: Heh... Heh... heh... Finally some fluff, huh? Sorry that there wasn't much NaruHina fluff! There will be some still to come. I'm thinking of making chapter 12 the last chapter... Maybe 13... Probably 12 though... Well, I hope you liked the fluff!

-Riri

P.S. Potato!


	12. Cheating

GOMENASAI GOMENASAI! TT.TT My browser (Safari) has been hating and I couldn't upload anything! I just got Firefox, and it'll let me upload stuff. So I'm UBER sorry for the super long wait for you guys! TT.TT

Trying to wrap up this fiction... Hope that all of you out there liked it, and like this chapter as well. There might be a chapter 13, depending on if I don't finish it up this chapter.

Dedicated to: SailorPrincess3234

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, or any of it's characters.

**Fireworks**

_By: Rikotsu-sama_

**o0 Chapter 12 - Cheating 0o**

"Naruto?"

No response.

"Naruto?"

Still no response.

"Naruto!"

"Huh?" Response.

"So are we... uh..." Hinata began, blushing and twiddling her fingers. This was an old habit that had she had stayed true to for years.

"Hm?" Naruto mumbled finishing his... uh... what number bowl of ramen was that?

"G-girlfriend and uh... um... b-boyfriend?" She blushed even harder after this last word as she braced herself for the worst.

Naruto blushed along with her as both turned back to the hard-wood bar in front of them. "Uh... Do you uh... want us to be?" Naruto asked, avoiding her eyes.

Hinata's eyes lit up as she looked at the handsome blonde boy beside her. She had come this far, this was her chance! Her chance to finally be held in her beloved's arms, feel his breathing... taste his lips...

But, Hinata, being Hinata, her shyness got the best of her. "Y...es..." She whispered in a extremely small voice.

Seeing as it was past midnight and the ramen bar was only open because of Naruto's ramen spree, Naruto knew that the owner wouldn't mind if he... took advantage of the situation... so to speak.

"I'm sorry, what did you say? I couldn't hear you." Naruto asked Hinata, inwardly smirking.

"Yes..." Hinata whispered again.

"I can't hear you. What?"

"Yes."

"What?"

"YES!"

"Heh..." Naruto half-giggled, smirking evilly at his new girlfriend.

Hinata blushed intensely and she was sure that if she looked in the mirror she would have discovered five new shades of red. She tried with all her might not to make eye contact, but couldn't help but look deeply into his shimmering sea-blue orbs when he gently took hold of her chin and turned her to face him.

They both leaned in, but just before they were about to kiss...

"More Ramen, Naruto?" The bar manager asked, turning a corner in the small "building".

"No, I'm done for the night." Naruto answered, sweatdropping.

Hinata blushed even more with this turn of events and looked away most likely thinking something to the effect of, _'I don't exist, I don't exist... I don't exist, I don't exist...'_

Naruto wrapped his arm comfortingly around Hinata's waist and lead her away from the bar and towards his house.

"So..." Naruto wondered aloud, breaking the serene silence that had been holding the couple's throats for well over ten minutes.

Hinata giggled out of the blue, which perplexed Naruto. Usually her laughs were shy, bearly audible, but this one was open and... free.

"What's so funny?" Naruto asked.

"Oh, nothing..." Hinata replied slyly.

"C'mon, tell me!" Naruto insisted.

"Just thinking back to old times... When I would watch you from afar, admire you, I dreamt of this day for years..."

"..."

"To tell the truth... I never thought it would actually happen..."

"..."

Another awkward silence ensued this confession. It followed the couple the entire way to Naruto's House.

**o0O0o**

"Hello?"

"Hi, "sensei"."

"What do you want?"

"I've won the bet."

"Oh, is that so?"

"Yes. It is. She's my girlfriend."

"Can I hear it from her?"

"She's asleep at the moment."

"How can I tell you're not lying to win the bet?"

"Would I lie to my "sensei"?"

"I guess not... Well, congrats."

"Make sure _he_ finds out."

"Sure. Heh... Have fun for me tonight, 'kay?"

"Will do."

"Oh, and be gentle with her, alright?"

"Okay, "sensei". I will."

_Click._

**o0O0o**

_-Morning-_

"So, as I was saying before, we should really find out what happened to her because-" a nurse said as she opened the supply closet and two forms fell out.

"Ow!" Sakura groaned, as she rose to her feet and rubbed the large bump on her head.

"Uh..." the nurse mumbled, looking at the half-nude forms of Sakura and Sasuke. Sakura and Sasuke were both in only underwear...

Sakura looked down and guess, just guess what she did...

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Sakura screamed, grabbing her clothes and dashing into the bathroom that was conveniently placed across the hall from the closet, closing and locking the door behind her.

Sasuke simply stood, and slipped into his clothing quickly before walking off to his room as if nothing had happened.

"Well... that solves that mystery..." a second nurse said bluntly, still astonished from the scene that had played out before her and the other nurse.

Sakura dressed herself quickly before exiting the bathroom, blushing hard as ever.

"So, Sakura... Mind telling us why you were locked in a closet with one of your patients in only your underwear?" the first nurse asked Sakura.

"Um..." Sakura mumbled.

"Yes, please enlighten us of this, Sakura," the second nurse agreed.

"Shut up, Shinji," the first nurse told the second.

"Sorry, Kagura..." Shinji apologized.

"But anyway, we would like to know why, Sakura," Kagura told Sakura.

"Um... I kind of tripped... and ended up stuck in the closet with him..." Sakura began.

"And...?"

"And... we decided to set aside our differences, 'cause Sasuke, Naruto, Hinata, and I have been having kind of a... feud, so to speak, over the last while over who's going to date who, so now Sasuke and I are finally together... We just kind of got carried away las' night... I mean... What else is there to do when you're locked in a closet with no one else around in the middle of the night with your boyfriend, huh?" Sakura asked.

"Hm..." Kagura thought aloud.

"Y'know, Kagura... She's got a point... If I were in her position I would have done the same..." Shinji pointed out.

"Shut up." Kagura commanded.

"Sorry." Shinji shut up.

"We'll just ignore this incident this time, but if anything else happens like this again with you, Sakura, you're going to be in a heck of a lot of trouble, go me?" Kagura growled at Sakura.

"Got it, Sir! Er... Ma'am!" Sakura responded, saluting Kagura. Kagura and Shinji then returned to their duties.

**o0O0o**

"Dammit!" Sasuke cursed, slamming the phone back down on the receiver.

"Something wrong?" a female voice asked from the doorway to Sasuke's hospital room.

Sasuke turned to see the warm smile of Sakura looking at him.

"No, nothing, I just had to tell Kakashi something las' night and he didn't pick up when I called him just now..."

"Why didn't you call him from your cell las' night then?"

"I tried. Cell phones don't get service in the hospital as it turns out.

"Oh, sorry..." Sakura sighed, walking up to Sasuke and giving him a sad look.

Sasuke sighed before kissing Sakura on the forehead and suggesting, "Hey, why don't we blow this pop stand and do something fun?"

"It's a date." Sakura answered cooly, smiling and kissing her boyfriend lightly on the lips.

**o0O0o**

"Mmm..." Naruto groaned as he stretched out his arms in bed and opened his eyes to the new-morning light.

"Naruto... kun..." Hinata's voice mumbled from beside him as she slipped her thin arms around his half-nude figure.

"Hinata-chan... time to get up..." Naruto whispered in her ear as he returned the embrace and wrapped his strong arms around her nude body.

"Five more minutes..." was her response as she simply hugged him closer to her.

"I'll make you blueberry pancakes if you get up now..." Naruto bribed his girlfriend.

"Blueberry!"

"Yes... blueberry."

"Then what are we waiting for!" In just a few moments Hinata had bounded out of bed, despite now having nothing around her nude upper-body.

"Heh..." Naruto chuckled, also slipping out of bed. "You look beautiful, Hinata-chan..."

"Th-thanks... Naruto-kun..." Hinata thanked her boyfriend as she covered up her upper-body with her arms and blushed.

"You really do look fantastic..." Naruto cooed, coolly wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her into a passionate kiss.

Once the kiss had ended Hinata asked, "So... about those pancakes..."

**o0O0o**

Naruto dumped some of the blueberry-filled batter into the steaming pan and returned to his spot at the table, across from Hinata.

Sipping her coffee, Hinata asked, "Naruto-kun..."

"Hm?" Naruto was snapped back into reality from his pancake-filled thoughts and his strong coffee by this.

"Do you think that Sasuke and Sakura will ever enjoy a morning like this...? Together...?"

Naruto took a nice, long sip of his coffee to contemplate this. "Most likely they're already together by now... They probably will someday soon..." Naruto answered.

"That's kind of relieving..."

"How so?" Naruto asked, setting his mug down and returning to the stove where he flipped the large pancakes over skillfully.

"I dunno... I would kind of feel like a traitor if we were together, and this happy if they weren't... 'cause, despite this past while... Sakura's my best friend... I would never want to hurt her..."

"Yeah... I see your point... 'Cause despite everything that Sasuke and I have been through, we're best friends too..." Naruto sighed, setting his spatula back down.

"Can you really be sure that they're together by now...?" Hinata asked, sipping her hot coffee again.

"No... Not really, we could call, if that would make you feel better?" Naruto asked, returning to his spot at the table once again.

"Yes... Indeed it would. But can I do it? I'd like to hear it for myself."

"Sure." Naruto took the phone off the nearby wall without getting up from his seat and tossed it to his girlfriend. "I don't have Sakura's cell in the contacts, but I do have Sasuke's. Try calling that first."

"Okay... Thanks." Hinata thanked her boyfriend before calling up Sasuke's cell from the contacts stored in the phone.

_Ring. Ring._ "Hello?" A voice growled from the other end of the phone.

"Uh... hi... Sasuke?" Hinata asked.

"Who's calling, and what do you want?" Sasuke growled.

"Uh... Naruto wants to talk to you." Hinata lied, handing the phone to Naruto.

Naruto sighed, and gave Hinata a disappointed look before taking the phone and growling into it, "So, whatcha been up to, Sasuke-baka?"

"Nothin' much. Heard you won the bet. I suppose that was Hinata who had the phone before?"

"Yeah, what's it to you?"

"I would have won, but I couldn't call las' night. I was locked in a closet."

"Hah... Nice. So, you and Sakura are together. Congrats, dude."

"Just call me when you want your ramen, Naruto." Sasuke growled before closing his flip phone.

"Heh..." Naruto chuckled before putting the phone back on the receiver.

"So, they're together, right?" Hinata asked hopefully.

"Yeah, apparently they got locked in a closet together las' night. I suspect they had sex afterwards..." Naruto's voice trailed off.

"Well, that's... good..." Hinata chuckled awkwardly, thinking back to their night.

Naruto stood again after taking a gulp of his coffee and put a large stack of blueberry pancakes on a plate and dumped some more batter into the pan. He then returned to the table and set the plate in front of Hinata, who already had out a fork, knife, and bottle of syrup.

"Your blueberry pancakes, Princess." Naruto joked when he set the plate down and kissed Hinata on the cheek.

"Thank you, Naruto-kun!" Hinata exclaimed before digging into her stack of pancakes hungrily.

Naruto took his seat at the other end of the table and slowly sipped his coffee as he watched his girlfriend devour the pancakes at an alarming speed. "So, what is it with you and blueberries, anyway?" Naruto asked casually.

"I've loved them ever since I was a kid, just can't stop eating them..." Hinata gulped as she gobbled down the remainder of the pancakes.

"Ah, I see..."

The rest of breakfast was spent reminiscing about old times, past experiences, and talking about odd food cravings.

**o0 Chapter Fin 0o**

A/N: Heh... Sorry for lack of SasuSaku this chapter... I just kept writing and writing NaruHina... But there will be plenty of SasuSaku next chappie! I promise!

-Riri


	13. Watching the Fireworks

GOMENASAI!!!!! I've been having major writer's block, and have been REALLY busy. SORRY AGAIN BUT HERE IT IS: THE END OF FIREWORKS!

-sigh- It's so sad, I'm so used to yoai pairings ("that's right. I'm a gay robot." -Church (a.k.a. yes, I'm a rabid yaoi fangirl)) at the moment (-ahemSasuNaruahem-) that it's hard for me to write straight pairings! DX Oh well, I will bare with it to finish this fiction for Aki-sama and Chibi-sama as well as all my other fans that read this fiction.

Dedicated to: SailorPrincess3234 (aki-sama)

Disclaimer: Regrettably, I don't own Naruto or any of it's characters. (Although Shika-kun, and Kakashi-sensei, and :blathering on and on: should be mine!!!! lolz)

**Fireworks**

_By: Rikotsu-sama_

**o0 Chapter 13 - Watching the Fireworks 0o**

"Are you serious?! You've never dipped french fries in chocolate ice cream before?!" Hinata asked in disbelief.

"No, I haven't, and you're the one who thinks putting salt on watermelon is weird!" Naruto answered.

"But it is!" Hinata giggled.

"Is so not!" Naruto chuckled as he swung his arm around Hinata's shoulder as the were sitting on the couch.

"Fine. I'll make you a deal: I'll stop thinking it's weird if you promise to come get french fries and dip them in chocolate ice cream with me!" Hinata offered.

"Deal." Naruto agreed as he sealed the deal with a kiss.

"So, whatcha wanna do today, Naruto-kun?" Hinata asked once the kiss was over.

"Well, I was hoping to take you out on a date to see the fireworks tonight at the start of the peach festival."

"Oh, Naruto-kun!" Hinata exclaimed, jumping her boyfriend. This ended up with Hinata straddling his waist and Naruto laying down on the couch. "I'd love to!" Hinata smiled widely.

"Heh... Then it's a date."

**o0O0o**

"Sasuke-kun?"

"Hm?"

"Can I ask you a question...?" Sakura asked, fidgeting as she sipped her coffee.

"Hn." It's funny how Sasuke likes two to four letter words.

"_Why_ do you like me?" Sakura asked, averting her gaze to a particularly interesting speck of dust on the blue-gray table of Café Solé.

"I don't know." Sasuke answered, cooly taking a bite out of his cinnamon sugar toast.

"What do you mean _you don't know_?" Sakura didn't intend that to sound so harsh.

"I can't pick."

"Can't pick what?"

"I like everything about you..." Sasuke said, cupping Sakura's cheek in his hand romantically.

"What about my forehead?"

"Cute."

"My short hair?"

"Long hair is overrated."

"Lack of ninja skills?"

"Admirable."

"Admirable?" Sakura asked, confused.

"Yes. Admirable. You strive to be a ninja, despite lack of talent."

"I guess that's true..."

"But anyway, now I told you what I like about you, you have to tell me what you like about me." Sasuke stated, matter-of-factly.

"Everything."

**o0O0o**

Hinata gaped at the enormous stack of bowls stacked on the counter. Why, oh why, had she ever agreed to take Naruto out for ramen? Right. He made her pancakes.

Hinata sighed as Naruto ordered what he claimed to be his last bowl. "Arigatou!" Naruto chanted as he began to chow down on the beef-flavored ramen he had come to know and love.

Hinata ordered a small order of sweet dumplings as she waited for Naruto to finish his ramen session. She slowly chewed on the delicious substance, it was no blueberry, but still good.

"Naruto-kun..." Hinata asked shyly.

"Hm?" What's up with boys and small words?!

"Uh... um... do you want to go on a d-double... uh... d-date w-with... Sasuke and Sakura?" Hinata blurted out the last few words as she stumbled through her sentence.

"A double date?" Naruto wondered aloud, taking a momentary pause from his ramen.

"H-hai..."

"Sounds like fun. You can call Sasuke from my cell. It's in my back pocket."

"A-arigatou, Naruto-kun..." Hinata took the cell phone slowly and speed dialed Sasuke's cell phone.

"Hello?"

"S-Sasuke-kun...?"

"No, this is Sakura. Do you want to talk to Sasuke?"

"N-no. I can talk to you, Sakura-chan. It's Hinata."

"Oh, Hi, Hinata-chan! What's up?"

"Naruto-kun and I were wondering if you and Sasuke-kun would like to go on a d-double d-date with us to the watch the fireworks at the peach festival tonight...?"

"Oh... It'd be alright with me. Lemme ask Sasuke-kun." Mumbling in the background.

"Okay!"

"Huh?"

"It's okay with Sasuke-kun!" Sakura half-sung into the navy flip-phone.

"Okay... Meet by the lake at seven?"

"Okay! See you then! Ja ne, Hinata-chan!"

"Ja ne."

Click.

"I take that they said yes?" Naruto asked, placing his last, yes last, bowl on the large stack and paying.

"Hai... We're to meet them by the lake at seven.."

"Yeah, I caught that. Wadda ya wanna do till then?"

"..."

"Wanna spar?"

"S-sure..."

**o0O0o**

Chatting, giggling, smoothies? What could go wrong?

Taking a sip of his smoothie, Sasuke watched as Sakura swung back and forth on the play set's swing, laughing. Her bubble-gum pink hair flew with the wind, playfully taunting Sasuke.

"Sasuke-kun, don't you just wish you could go back to being a kid? No worries, no homework, not a care in the world?" Sakura asked, pumping her legs so she would go higher.

"Hn." He grunted before dipping into a flashback. His parents ignored him, were not proud of him, only had time for Itachi. Oh, how he hated Itachi!

Sakura turned to her beloved and saw his obsidian eyes distant and unloving like so long ago when she had tried to stop him from leaving. She did not like that look. As cold as frost and as distant as the far away as that one person you may never see again...

She stopped swinging. Her feet lightly tapped the ground as she stepped off the swing. Reminiscing in her own memories of childhood losses, Sakura walked up to Sasuke and simply stated, "I'm gonna go get dressed for tonight, I'll meet you by the great Hallow in the park, okay?"

Sasuke didn't reply, and didn't register what she had said until he looked up and she was already gone. He sighed.

**o0O0o**

"Ah!" Hinata screeched as her butt hit the ground. Again.

"C'mon, Hinata-chan, you can do better! Believe it!" Naruto grinned as he helped his girlfriend up.

"Anymore falling on my butt and I won't be able to sit for the fireworks!" Hinata whined, hugging Naruto.

Naruto sighed, and guessed sparring with his girlfriend wasn't the best way to spend a day. "Wanna call it a day and grab some ice cream?"

"Yes, thank god yes." Hinata mumbled, detaching herself from Naruto.

"C'mon, the stand is this way." Naruto lead Hinata slowly by the hip to the ice cream cart nearby.

"A triple scoop mint-chocolate chip and a double scoop blueberry please." Naruto asked the man at the cart.

"Arigatou." Hinata thanked the man as he handed them their ice cream and Naruto paid.

Hinata handed the triple scoop mint-chocolate chip cone to her blonde before slowly licking her own.

"Oi, Hinata-chan... Why was it you tried to make me jealous by dating Sasuke-teme?" Naruto asked calmly after eating one of his three scoops of ice cream in one bite.

"Well... Y'know how I walked in on you sleeping with Sakura a few weeks ago?" Hinata answered cautiously.

"Mhm."

"Well, I was planning on asking you out that day. But when I saw you with Sakura, I just sort of freaked out. I didn't have the nerve anymore... I thought it was unfair that after liking you for so long, Sakura was the one who ended up with you..." Hinata took a breath. "I really really liked you. Ever since we were in the academy. I... I... I couldn't help myself. I wanted you so badly... I guess I just didn't think of the people around me, just myself really..." Hinata gulped and took another lick of ice cream.

"I'm sorry, Naruto-kun... I shouldn't've been so selfish..." Hinata apologized, wiping a few stray tears from her tender cheeks.

"Naw, it's okay, Hinata-chan." Naruto said, "You were following your path of the ninja, right?"

Hinata nodded shyly.

"Good, plus: what's done is done, right?"

"Y- Yeah..." Hinata wiped the last few tears from her eyes before smiling up at her boyfriend. "Believe it."

"That only works when I say it..."

"Yeah, kinda noticed that..."

**o0O0o**

Sakura and Hinata put on their make up in Sakura's room and when they were done they exited her house and began heading towards the park. Sakura was wearing a sky blue kimono with cherry blossoms on it, and Hinata's kimono had a snake design curling up it.

As they walked, Hinata apologized, "Sorry for trying to steal Naruto away..." She turned away shyly.

"Hey, Hinata, it's okay! That's all in the past, and the past should be forgotten." —she flashed back to sasuke's obsidian eyes— "I've finally got my Sasuke-kun anyway!" She smiled warmly and gave Hinata a pat on the back for encouragement.

"Heh. Still, sorry again."

"C'mon, Hinata-chan! Stop apologizing! It was just a guy! Let's stop apologizing, stop fantasizing and return to the real world. Where two very handsome guys are waiting for us."

Hinata sighed and nodded in agreement, smiling her shy smile.

**o0O0o**

Striding up to the big Hallow tree in Konoha Park, Sasuke in his baggy jeans, black button-up shirt, and purple tie he looked up to see Naruto in plain baggy black pants who's many pockets didn't have a thing in them, an orange T-shirt and black silk tie.

From his perch in the tree above, Naruto asked Sasuke, "Why're you wearing a purple tie?"

"Why're you wearing a orange shirt?" Sasuke replied.

"'Cause Hinata thinks I look good in orange and black."

"'Cause Sakura thinks I look sexy in purple."

Before the boys had the chance to continue their _fascinating_ discussion of fashion, the girls walked up and Naruto jumped down from the tree.

"Wow." Naruto mused, checking out Hinata. She blushed with this comment and continued to stare at that ultimately interesting speck of dust on the grass.

Sasuke walked up to Sakura, whispered, "You look... _spectacular_." in her ear and kissed her on the cheek.

Naruto romantically took Hinata's hand and the couples made their way through the park and up to the hill where outside of the normal peach festival area. The fireworks were scheduled to go off in just a few minutes.

As the four-some sat down on the bench the first firework went off in the night sky. It was in the shape of a gigantic red heart. How stereotypical.

Naruto turned to Hinata and kissed her on the neck and she squeaked. Liking this squeak, Naruto kissed her again, and again, trailing up her neck until he kissed her on the lips passionately.

Sasuke, mesmerized by the fireworks forgot to kiss Sakura. Sakura decided after a few minutes of making out on the other end of the bench to take things into her own hands. She turned Sasuke towards her and kissed him harshly.

Loving this wild side, this harsh and unexpected emotion began to kiss back equally as fiercely.

One last firework popped in the night sky, a green pi symbol (most likely snuck into the box by some crazy middle school kid).

The fireworks went unnoticed.

**o0 Fiction Fin 0o**

A/N: -sighs-... Finally done with it eh...? Hope you all liked it. I luff reviews!

-Riri


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